STORIES TO LOOK FOR FRIDAY

Stories developing for Friday's Southeast Missourian include...

Making Highway 61 safer

The Missouri Department of Transportation has plans to improve the safety of U.S. 61. Over $1 million will be used to widen the shoulders on the highway and resurface them at points where they have worn down. Roads with high crash rates are targeted for the grant. Where will the highway be improved? What will it mean for local residents? And exactly how unsafe is the highway now? Reporter BRIDGET DiCOSMO finds out.

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Young fathers find guidance

The Missouri Mentoring Program is starting a program geared toward young fathers in need of a little guidance. These are people 18 to 21 who have found themselves with a child, but no real experience in raising one. The program will start mid-August and will pair each young father with a mentor to help him make decisions for both his life and that of his child. Features editor CHRIS HARRIS reports the details.

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Design on Lewis and Clark Parkway begins

Cape Girardeau's city council has given engineers the go-ahead to begin designing a road leading to LaSalle Ave. What can drivers expect? Reporter PEG McNICHOL brings you the details.

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Blunt discusses ag issues in Sikeston

Gov. Matt Blunt is making a stop in Southeast Missouri today (Thursday) to network with area farmers.

Blunt will speak and listen to comments from crop and biofuels producers on the issues affecting agriculture at an agriculture roundtable at 2 p.m. at the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce. Find out what he has to say in this story by Scott County reporter MATT SANDERS.

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Cape school district preschool readies

As Cape Girardeau School District gears up to offer a preschool program this fall, reporter MARK BLISS finds out how many applications have been received so far and if there's room for more students.

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Construction at Nell Holcomb begins

Construction began in early July and will last through the fall semester on rebuilding gym, adding classrooms. Another part of the project, a parking lot and new front entrance should be completed by the start of classes in August, supterindent Darryl Pannier says in this story by education reporter MARK BLISS.

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Commitment to classical

More and more classical music format stations around the country -- both commercial and public -- are switching their programming over to the increasingly popular news/talk format. But at Southeast Public Radio, 90.9 FM in Cape Girardeau, the commitment to classical music on locally produced programs is still strong. Find out why this week on the Arts & Leisure page in Friday's Southeast Missourian.

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CHECK BACk at www.semissourian.com throughout the day for updates on these stories and more.